Buildings in Hamburg, NY - LINKS

Saints Peter & Paul RC Church
66 East Main Street, Hamburg, N.Y.

Erected:

1911

Architects:

Bley and Lyman ("Bley" pron. "bleye")

1988 Modernization: Kideney, Smith, Fitzgerald and Laping

Style:

Romanesque Revival combined with Gothic Revival


Companion page: Interior Photos


History of the church below the illustrations


Click on illustrations to enlarge

This lithograph shows the 1863 brick church which replaced one purchased from Free Will Baptists

Bishop Charles H. Colton dedicated this Romanesque Revival style church on July 2, 1911.

Gothic spire and pinnacles

Romanesque corbel table

Romanesque arches and columns

Romanesque capital:

Saints Peter and Paul RC Church began in 1844, when 22 German families officially formed a congregation separate from St. Mary's Church in East Eden.

In 1845, their first church was purchased from the Free Will Baptists and moved to 293 East Main St. in 1863 from the NW corner of Pine and E. Main Streets. Used as a residence today, this building was probably constructed around 1830 by the Free Will Baptists and used by them for most of the period until their larger church at lake and Linwood was built in 1846.

The second church was built in 1863 and dedicated on the saints' feast day, June 29, 1863.

The third church was dedicated on July 2, 1911.

The Rev. Anthony F. Veit was appointed pastor in 1920, beginning a pastorate that lasted for 37 years.

In 1962 an addition nearly doubled the size of the church. A classic cruciform shape with east and west transept projecting off an extended nave was added.

1988 Modernization
In 1988, the church was again remodeled to reflect changed mandated by Vatican II. Changes included a reduced altar area (about half the 1962 area), rearrangement of seating (the first rows of congregation seating were pulled forward 20 feet and all seating was repositioned to radiate from the altar), improved acoustics and lighting, and access for the disabled.

The architects were from the Buffalo firm of Kideney, Smith, Fitzgerald and Laping. The sanctuary furniture which was all custom designed was fabricated by the millwork shop at Frontier Lumber Company in Buffalo

- Main source: "Images of America: Hamburg," by John R. Edson. Pub. by Arcadia Publishing, in 2000

Special thanks to John Edson and Rev. Mark Wolski, pastor, for their cooperation

See also:

Photos and their arrangement © 2002 Chuck LaChiusa
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